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High Speed Windshield Breaks

2

2andblue

COG Executive Director
Member
Group - We have found ourselves recently with 2 back to back broken California Scientific Windshields. Windshield has been perfect for a couple years then now suddenly two broken shields. Nothing else has changed other than we are more frequently reaching close to the rated speed of the shield.

Has anyone else installed an aftermarket windshield and play at the high speeds without breakage trouble? The CalSci shields we have had are the size Large (not the big barn door XL) and anytime we are breaking the century mark shield is in full down position.

Wayne, Carol and Blue
 
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I've never had a Cal Sci shield but there was a thread on here quite sometime ago about this very problem. Apparently it's somewhat common for this brand.
 
This is definitely not cool - I had heard nothing but good so obviously I missed the memo.

I don’t see a lot of other Carbonate options / do see there are a lot of acrylic shields being sold but I had understood that was the wrong way to go…. May be I understood wrong?

Cliff what’s your shield of choice? @ 250,000 miles I’ll be interested to hear your experiences.
 
I see you have a high average mileage - very good! I do not have quite the control and need to stretch the right side of the speedometer frequently.

In your opinion will the Vario and Deflector hold up to these pressures? Have you tested? Also any additional strain on the window slides?

Thanks for the inputs.
 
Seems we are stepping away from the Kawasaki 15’+ shield design as the cutout is simply too close to the mount holes causing a weak spot. This weak spot at high speed is focusing the energy and leading to breakage. I am giving CalSci one last try with a pre 15’ shield that has a significantly smaller cutout, same mount pattern but I’m advised will require the old style mounting / covers.

I contribute this breaking to the newly installed Quickshifter. On appropriate closed areas we are able to achieve higher speeds than before, ~ additional 20 mph, as we are not losing any pull, stay on it constantly and the extra few mph is all it took to push the windshields to the breaking point literally…

New shield should be here by end of week, riding no shield next couple days to work..
 
pre 15’ shield that has a significantly smaller cutout, same mount pattern but I’m advised will require the old style mounting / covers.

I bought all my hardware from Rocky Mountain ATV. It was about $65 for everything. I discovered the gaskets that go directly on the brackets are the same. I bought new one's because the part# is different.. They look the exact same, maybe they were superceded, idk.
 
Yes that is all correct Chris.

If this works out I’ll look to provide mechanism to the classifieds - a lot of people are looking for the mechanism and covering and they’re god awful expensive…

RMATV great place.
 
2andblue said:
I see you have a high average mileage - very good! I do not have quite the control and need to stretch the right side of the speedometer frequently.

In your opinion will the Vario and Deflector hold up to these pressures? Have you tested? Also any additional strain on the window slides?

Thanks for the inputs.
Click to expand...

The small shield size probably contributes to that mileage along with the fact I seldom raise it. It's a couple inches smaller than stock & the 08's/09's had much smaller shields than the 10 & ups. I do occasionally get in the triple digits but not often, 12 hour days running 80 + are common if's that's considered a test. Returning from NC this past weekend it was showing 48 - 50 mpg running 80 - 85 mph. Maybe it's just my bike or my old outdated flash, who knows.

In my simple opinion the larger shields are just asking for trouble.
 
80-85 that mileage is great. Assuming this is bags on, maybe a top box and then the windshield. If you are happy with everything else I wools touch a thing either!

We easily get into the 50’s mpg but at a slower rate of speed more like 60-65 mph.

Then Cliff for the smaller shield are you getting wind and noise? I am 6’1” and almost always ride 2-up, that is a consideration. Average day is 400 miles (and minimal of that at hyper speed) and ride all weather temps to include the 30’s to 100*F. So we need both protection from cold air and cooling off from hot air on extended rides.
 
I have the same shield Cliff and about the same speeds. Shield is usually down and the visor thingy about straight up.I get a fraction of that mileage . Eco does not seem to make much difference. My average according to the puter is 36. I see 50 plus on the gauge at 60 mph and below. A little wind in the right place helps a lot. I have a top case and side bags mounted all the time, MRP flash. Never bothered me much until these recent prices.
Just Cliff said:
The small shield size probably contributes to that mileage along with the fact I seldom raise it. It's a couple inches smaller than stock & the 08's/09's had much smaller shields than the 10 & ups. I do occasionally get in the triple digits but not often, 12 hour days running 80 + are common if's that's considered a test. Returning from NC this past weekend it was showing 48 - 50 mpg running 80 - 85 mph. Maybe it's just my bike or my old outdated flash, who knows.

In my simple opinion the larger shields are just asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
 
Both Puigs and an Aeroflow developed cracks that propogated toward the outside as I kept riding them.
 
I ran my new VStream up to 110 MPH on a fast pass yesterday with no signs of wear or tear. Well except for the additional insect debris... (y)

It is a fact that on the mountain roads, those three cement mixers all lined up were making everyone's life difficult and no one had the stones to pull out and get it over with on the lone opportunity zone. So I broke the ice :devilish: and helped the old man in front of me in the new Corvette, and the guy directly behind the trucks in the Charger find the "GO" petal in their machines. Why do slow people need performance vehicles anyway?!? :rolleyes:
 
I'm the name of science I have tried my Vario out plenty of times at 100 plus. Sometimes when up but I try to avoid that. It holds up well.
 
If the pre 2015 design CalSci pops I’ll be looking for something different.

I think Copperdawg will be too minimal protective for spirited touring - anyone have direct experience with Copperdawg in cooler regions or several hundred miles a day back to back to back?

Amazing the engineering / calculations of force on the shields with increase of mph and size.
 
I ride with a copperdawg during the summer months. Love the looks and it does a decent job of redirecting the wind around the torso. But you still get quite a blast to the head (I'm 6'-0") at highway speeds. So much so, that I usually end up with sore neck muscles at the end of the day.
But, I usually stay off the highways no matter what shield I'm running.
 
I run an Aeroflo which is the size of a barn door. I like it because I stay dry even in heavy rain. I have the old Baker hand wings to get some ventilation in behind the screen. They don't make them anymore due to breakage, my first one broke. But I added some auxiliary supports and no more breakage. Its been 7-8 years and no problems. oh, it does limit top speed to approx 130 before the weave starts and I'm sure gas mileage is effected.
 

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CalSci previous to 2015 design is working well. I was wondering how we would like the permanent small opening on the windshield, so far 👍. Rain, Thunderstorms, Wind, Speed - the protection is not compromised. Definitely less movement on this design / for our purpose and riding style does seem better.

I’ll be dropping into the classifieds the flapper and mounting hardware for the 2015+ Windshield. Covers are the royalist of all C-14 colors: Blue. Anyone interested just know we won’t be back from vacation until the 23.

Wayne, Carol & Blue
 
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